7. American Hustle Tries To Be More Than It Tells Us It Is
Even as it sits alongside awards frontrunner 12 Years A Slave on the nomination stakes thus far, everyone seems to agree American Hustle is on the lighter side of the Oscar favourites. Not a bad thing, the film looks incredible and there isn't a weak link in the cast, but it doesnt quite have the depth youd expect from film with such buzz. The cinematic adaptation of ABSCAM (sort of), an FBI investigation that utilised con men to nab corrupt officials, the film kicks off telling us some of this actually happened and for vast stretches commits to that ethos. David ORussell is an actors director and allows for relentless interplay between the characters that ensures none (even Jennifer Lawrences Rosalyn who at first seems there just to get the actress on screen) feel like cutouts. That's all we really want from a character study, but at times American Hustle forgets that and goes for something more; from De Neros cameo to the Goodfellas/Casino aping voiceover this feels like the expose style of nineties Scorsese, of which is obviously falls short. The only probing question about the plot were left with is, why didnt they finish the ice fishing story?